It's down to two teams and one more game for men's college soccer. Sunday afternoon, No. 2 seed Wake Forest takes on No. 5 Ohio State in the NCAA Men's College Cup final.
For Wake Forest -- they've been there and done that. Well, they've at least been to the big dance. Last season, they faced UC-Santa Barbara in the semifinals. After a scoreless draw, UCSB topped the Demon Deacons 4-3 on penalty kicks.
"This is a whole different team," Wake Forest head coach Jay Vidovich said. "Last year's experience helped us grow up. We learned a lot of things. We're a much better team this time around."
Wake Forest (21-2-2) is strong inside and out. The offense is unstoppable, while the defense holds strong. The team has outscored opponents 65-13. The team has posted 15 shutouts.
"Wake Forest is really skillful on the ground," Ohio State defender Eric Brunner said. "They're really fluid on the ball. They are very organized offensively and defensively."
Perhaps the strongest aspect of the Demon Deacons is their depth. Seventeen different players have scored for Wake Forest this season. At any given time, anyone can find the back of the net. Cody Arnoux (15 goals, seven assists) and Marcus Tracy (10 goals, eight assists, including both goals in the 2-0 national semifinal win against Virginia Tech) led the team in scoring, but any given player can find the net.
"We have a lot of players coming off the bench that can contribute," Wake Forest forward/midfielder Zack Schliwaski said. "It helps us with depth like that.
Tracy agreed. "Everyone is capable of stepping up at different moments. It's really special to be a part of this team."
Ohio State (17-3-5) is new to the College Cup. In making their first appearance, the Buckeyes have added to their successful campaign. A 1-0 semifinal win against UMass extended OSU's unbeaten streak to 15 games.
"When we lost to Green Bay, things turned around," Brunner said. "We realized we weren't invincible. We made it our goal to win the next three games. We took it one game at a time. That first win sparked us."
Ohio State lost 1-0 to Wisconsin-Green Bay on Sept. 29. Since then, the team has posted a 12-0-3 record, won the Big Ten championship (5-4 on penalty kicks against Indiana), and shut out 10 opponents. They have outscored opponents 22-6 during that stretch.
"We know Ohio State is going to be a tough team," Tracy said. "We know if we go in and force our game on them, we will be able to do our best."
WATCH OUT FOR TRACY: Standing at 6-foot-1, it's no wonder that Marcus Tracy makes an impact as forward. But don't let the height fool you. He's strong and solid. Friday night, he tallied two goals to lead Wake Forest to the College Cup final. He's scored 10 goals on the season, while contributing eight assists. He's the one the Buckeyes will keep an eye on.
"I heard he got really high (in the air) when he scored his first goal," Ohio Staten defender Eric Brunner said. "I didn't see it, but I heard about it. Hopefully we can shut him down."
In his three years at Wake Forest he's come into his own. In his freshman campaign, he played in just five games while recovering from an injury. Sophomore year, he stepped it up with six goals and four assists. And now as a junior, he's showing his maturation and talent. It also shows what can happen when you're playing at 100 percent.
TRIO OF TALENT: Ohio State has three players who have already been invited to the 2008 adidas MLS Player Combine. Goalkeeper Casey Latchem, defender Eric Brunner and forward Javier Balc have all contributed to help Ohio State reach the College Cup final.
Latchem has kept the net relatively clean, allowing just 18 goals (six in the last 15 games). He has 92 saves on the season for a 0.69 GAA. Brunner has played in every match for the Buckeyes, helping the team earn 15 shutouts. He's also added six goals.
Balc leads the team with eight goals and 14 assists. His 35 career assists for the Buckeyes rank first in OSU history. Balc also ranks first in shots with 258.
Wake Forest also has three players that will head to the Combine: goalkeeper Brian Edwards, defenders Julian Valentin and Pat Phelan.
There's no doubt Wake Forest has a strong back line as the trio has helped the team post 15 shutouts in 25 games. They've also only allowed 13 goals. Edwards has made 58 saves and allowed 11 goals for a 0.48 GAA.
BEEN THERE DONE THAT: Ohio State's Eric Brunner played his freshman year at Maryland, where he played in 21 games, starting 11 and posting one assist. In 2004 the Terrapins went to the College Cup. The team fell 3-2 to Indiana after two overtime periods.
In 2005 Brunner transferred to Ohio State. In his tenure their, he's been a constant in the lineup, appearing in 88 games. Sunday's championship will be one of the most special games.
"To play in the championship in unbelievable," Brunner said. "These guys are my family. With it being the last game, it's bittersweet. I've played with a great group of guys."
Kathryn L. Knapp is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
